The Geodude and Graveler, minions of the Golem, had all beeed by Lucario. As the leader, Golem pletely abandoned any thoughts of escape.

  Its eyes glinting with me transformed into a massive boulder. As the boulder rolled forward, it carved deep grooves into the solid grouh it.

  The move Rollout bees more powerful the lo tinues, but even if it rolled for five or six minutes, it wouldn't be able to harm Lucariolem: 'I will take you down'

  Lucario was currently at level 64, a mid-tier pseudo-Elite, but had strength far beyond its level.

  As Golem rolled toward it, Lucario stepped forward. Its body fshed, and in the sed, it appeared directly in Golem's path.

  Lucario calmly pced its palm against the rolling Golem.

  The team captain, watg this bold move, felt his heart leap into his throat. Sneaking a g Julian, he saw no ge in Julian's expression.

  The captai a wave of sedhand embarrassment—'the king stays calm while the minister panics.'

  Despite Golem's Rollout being powerful enough to level a building, Lucario's palm brought it to an abrupt halt.

  A burst of white light emanated from Lucario's hand, and in the moment, Golem's massive body was sent hurtling through the air. Its trajectory poi directly toward the mountainside of the left tunnel.

  If it crashed into the mountain, the tunnel would almost certainly colpse.

  Before Julian could issue any ands, Lucario vanished with Extreme Speed. It reappeared in front of the airbolem just as it was about to collide with the mountainside.

  Lucario lightly leaped, its toes brushing against Golem's body. With a loud thud, Golem was smmed into the ground below, creating a deep crater.

  Lucario nded on top of Golem, whiow y unscious, its eyes swirling. It was clear that Golem was incapacitated.

  But Julian had no i in capturing a Green-tier Golem.

  "You've tacted the officials, right?" Julian asked the captain beside him.

  The Golem's group o be handled properly. Leaving them here would only lead to simir is iure.

  The entire group would either have to be relocated or captured.

  "Yes, I've already informed them"

  The captain replied quickly, nodding.

  Looking at Julian's face, which was far too young—about the same age as his own son—the captain couldn't help but feel both awe and a tinge of disappoi.

  He thought about his own son, who wasted his days doing nothing and hadn't even mao get into college.

  Captain: 'Damn it. When I get home, I'm going to whip that kid within an inch of his life'

  Julian, pletely unaware of the thoughts he'd inspired, carried on, oblivious that his as would result in someone being thhly disciplihat evening.

  Thud. Thud. Thud.

  Heavy footsteps echoed through the area.

  The team members froze as they caught sight of a colossal Aggron approag. Their faces turned pale, and one Vileplume even fainted ht in terror.

  The captain stared nervously at the massive creature; 'Is this... the final boss?'

  "I told you to guard the train"

  Julian said, his brows furrowing slightly.

  Aggron roared slightly aggrieved, as if to say, 'The train is fine, so I came over.'

  Given Aggron's enormous size, trying to show an aggrieved expression wasly an easy feat.

  "o worry. It's my Pokémon"

  Julian expined wheiced the growing arm among those around him.

  "Julian!"

  "King Julian!"

  At that moment, Chase and Taylor arrived, followed by three other men. They had been walking behind Aggroire way.

  "Luca~"

  Lucario returo Julian's side.

  "Lucario! Long time no see!"

  Chase said happily.

  Lucario nodded in aowledgment, reizing Julian's high school cssmates.

  "Lucario is so cool! It's literally my dream Pokémon!"

  Taylushed, her eyes sparkling as she admired the handsome dog.

  Indeed, Lucario's appearance alone made it a favorite among many fans, especially those reciated good looks.

  "Is that Golem over there their leader?"

  Taylor asked, spotting the partially buried Golem not far away.

  "Yeah, thanks to Julian, we're safe. That Golem eak pseudo-Elite Pokémon. Without Julian, we'd all be in serious danger."

  The captain chimed in, his tone filled with gratitude.

  "A peak pseudo-Elite Golem? King Julian, you're not pnning to capture it?" Taylor asked, surprised..

  Her surprise wasn't that Julian had defeated a peak pseudo-Elite Pokémon—she knew he'd eveee-level trainers before. What shocked her was that he didn't io catch it.

  After all, a peak pseudo-Elite wasn't just a symbol of power; it was also a signifit status symbol, representih and influence.

  "Julian specializes iypes"

  Chase expined on the side.

  Though she wasirely correct, Julian didn't bother to eborate.

  Meanwhile, another person, Baker, stared at the unscious Golem with undisguised longing in his eyes.

  As a Rock-type trainer, his stro Pokémon was only at the entry-level Advaage.

  If he could capture this peak pseudo-Elite Golem—

  His gaze shifted to Chase, who stood close to Julian. Jealousy flickered across his face, and the desire in his eyes as he looked at Golem grew even more intense.

  Lucario noticed the ill i in Baker's aura toward Julian. It g him briefly, but Baker's attention was entirely focused on Golem and not on Lucario.

  'If Julia want it, then I'll take it. Once I capture it, I'll bee a peak pseudo-Elite trainer. No one iire school will be able to match me. Even Chase will have to look at me differently.'

  Driven by greed and ambition, Baker threokéball toward the unscious Golem.

  His sudden amediately drew everyone's attention.

  "Baker, you—!"

  Taylor shouted, her voice filled with anger.

  But in Baker's eyes, nothied except the Pokéball flying in an arc tolem.

  Closer. Closer. The Pokéball was just about to make tact—

  Smack!

  A shadoeared beside the Pokéball and struck it, shattering it into pieces.

  "Luca!~"

  It was Lucario who had intervened.

  Seeing this, Baker's eyes reddened with fury. He was so close—just oep away from capturing the Golem.

  But before he could explode in aaylor shoved him hard, nearly knog him off bance.

  "What do you think you're doing, Baker? Don't you know this is Julian's Pokémon?!" Taylor shouted furiously.

  "You broke the rules, kid. Do you uand that?" the captain said coldly.

  Golem was defeated by Julian, which meant its fate was his to decide. Whether he chose to capture it, give it away, or release it, the decision was Julian's alone.

  Baker's attempt to capture it without Julian's sent was no different from theft.